The Hospital for Tropical Diseases at Endsleigh Gardens,Euston – 1920–1939

Between 1920 and 1939, London’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD), still under the auspices of the Seamen’s Hospital Society (SHS), was located at Endsleigh Gardens, Euston^1,2 (Figure 1). Most records were lost when the Dreadnought Hospital was bombed and few records now survive for this period.^3,4 On 24 November 1992, this author took luncheon at Tunbridge Wells with two individuals who were closely involved with events at that time and the following oral history, subsequently confirmed by each, adds to records in written format. OPEN IN VIEWER

Mrs Jane Evan-Thomas, née Kemp (JET, aged about 90 years in 1992) was appointed in 1928 as assistant to the Secretary, CEH Lloyd ⁵ ; shortly afterwards Lloyd was replaced by DAC (Andy) Price ⁶ whose wife Sheilah (who he married in 1936) was also present in 1992.

JET (whose memory was excellent) clearly recalled the layout of the hospital and many members of its staff. Sir Philip Manson-Bahr ⁷ was always ‘hale and hearty’ and ‘very Germanic’ – always telling coarse German jokes, and ‘bounced through everything’ but was ‘very kind and thoughtful to the staff’. She had a vast amount of time for ‘Georgie’ Low ⁸ who was an ‘extremely dedicated and industrious doctor’ who was respected by all and sundry but who never assumed a great profile or presence; he had a very broad Scottish accent and on account of this was ‘sometimes laughed at’! Hamilton Fairley’s ⁹ appointment was to some extent instigated by Archibald McKindoe ¹⁰ who was already on the staff; they were fellow antipodeans which gave him a very difficult start! As well as Leslie Gregg, WE Cooke and several house physicians, including Hugh Willoughby, JET also had vivid recollections of two matrons – Miss K Bone and Mrs JC Sinnatt. ¹¹

Patients came from the Colonial Office (under Manson-Bahr and William Byam ¹² ), India Office, shipping companies and various missionary societies, and there were Lascars, Goanese, Javanese and Chinese seamen amongst others. Manson-Bahr and Byam treated their private patients at the hospital. Since the SHS was a voluntary organisation, a charge of one guinea per night was levied for a single room; however, patients from northern (now Zambia) and southern (now Zimbabwe) Rhodesia, for example, were paid for by the Crown Agents or the Colonial Office. All seamen were treated free. The masseuse (Miss McCarthy) made a charge of two guineas.

JET recalled numerous outpatients with leprosy, and the yellow fever fatality of 1930 ¹³ which was clearly retained in her memory. Colonic irrigation was carried out for a short time. The House Committee met regularly and was chaired by Price. Nurses sponsored by the Colonial Office received special lectures before proceeding abroad. Gregg ¹⁴ , a former Medical Superintendent, produced during those years a tropical health manual.

Although Price was very keen to expand the HTD, FA Lyon, ¹⁵ Secretary of the SHS, under whose auspices the HTD fell, was of the opposite persuasion.

In September 1939, the hospital was forced to close due to potential vulnerability from bombing as a result of its proximity to Euston Station. ¹⁶ In 1938, following the Munich crisis, the national press initiated a move to persuade members of staff to join the armed services; Price joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and served in an aircraft carrier. The administration of the hospital until closure fell to JET. When the hospital closed, she arranged transfer of as many patients as possible to the Dreadnought Hospital at Greenwich. ¹⁷

After the war, Price moved to the SHS at Greenwich while JET, who had served with the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRENS) throughout hostilities, ¹⁸ married in 1947 but sadly her husband died a mere three years later.